Party Time
by HotaruGFC
Summary: Noelle brings an event to the attention of the group that Yami has been avoiding for years. Ensemble with possible pairings (YamiXCharlotte is almost a given, possible AstaXNoelle, YunoXCharmy, VanessaXFinral depending on the characters.) Rated T for now, but may go to M depending on how the characters behave...
1. Chapter 1

"Captain?" Noelle asked, her voice timid. She hated to even broach the subject, but she knew she must.

Yami read his newspaper, a curl of smoke coming from his cigarette. Whether he was ignoring her, or he just didn't hear, she did not know.

"Captain." She repeated with more strength to her voice. From the sigh behind the paper, Noelle knew he had heard her this time. He folded the document down and looked up at her letting a cloud of smoke escape his lips.

"What?"

"The Knight's Ball is next week."

"Yeah, so?"

"So, I'm surprised you hadn't mentioned it yet."

"I wasn't planning on it. We don't do balls." He flipped the paper back up and went back to his reading.

Noelle furrowed her brow, determined.

"Well, then, Captain, I regret to inform you that I have to attend. I would be remiss in my royal duties if I did not."

"Fine. Whatever. Go." The voice came from behind the newspaper. Another cloud of smoke disappated around its edges.

Noelle opened her mouth to speak, closed it, checking her anger before continuing.

"I can't exactly go by myself."

He sighed again, folding up his paper and setting it aside.

"Fine. Hey, Kid!" He called to Asta, who sat at the table chowing down on breakfast with Charmy. "Take Noelle to this Ball thing." He waved his hand dismissively.

Noelle sputtered and her face grew red.

"C-Captain. I can't go with him."

"Why not?"

She stammered as she fought for an explanation which would not reveal how she felt for the peasant.

"Be-Because..." She took a deep breath and steadied her voice. "Because typically the entire squad attends these events." She smiled, satisfied with her explanation though she knew it to be demonstrably false.

"Tch. What a pain in the ass."

"What's a ball?" Asta asked from the table, around a mouth full of food.

"It's a kind of party where people get dressed up in fancy clothes. There's music, dancing and so. much. food." Charmy explained as she continued shoveling food into her mouth.

"Did someone say party? I wonder if there will be lots of pretty girls there." Finral piped in.

"It's mostly for the Magic Knights, so..." Yami said, expecting the explanation to be enough to discourage him.

"Oh." A grin spread over Finral's face. "I'm sure the ladies of the Blue Rose Squad look lovely all dolled up."

Yami blew a cloud of smoke at the junior knight.

"They would eat you alive."

"But what a way to go, eh Boss?"

Yami took a long drag on his cigarette. He didn't want to go. He had always hated going to the Ball when he was in Julius' squad, but his then captain had insisted, saying it was an important cultural education for him. Julius had insisted on a lot of things, and when he had given Yami his own squad, Yami had decided he would never do them again. He had received the invitation for the squad every year, but he never told the lot of them about the Ball's existence. He knew the invitation was a formality, anyway, only done because to leave one of the squads out would have been in bad taste. His choosing not to attend was in bad taste too, but he didn't give a fuck.

Still, the thought of seeing Her dressed up again did arouse some... interest.

"I wonder what kind of drinks they'll have." Vanessa roused herself from the chair in which she had collapsed the night before. "Can we go, Yami?" She crawled onto the couch next to him and looked up at him with her gray-lavender eyes sparkling. "Please?"

"No."

Vanessa sat back next to him and crossed her arms over her chest. Her womanly wiles had never really worked on him, and it frustrated her to no end.

The squad members in the room erupted in protest-namely Finral, Charmy and Noelle, but even Asta joined in.

"Why are you so excited? You didn't even know what the ball was a few minutes ago." Yami asked the young man.

"But if it's something the Magic Knights do, I want to try it. I need to know these things if I'm going to be Wizard King."

"I would love to show my Marie the beauty of such an event." Gauch added to the arguments. Even Gray and Gordon seemed interested in attending. Yami scowled as the noise grew into a cacophony. He slammed his magic-enhanced fist into the table before him.

"Shut up!"

The squad members fell silent.

"You want to go? Fine. We'll go. Just don't expect it to be any fun, or to fit in. The entire damn thing is boring as hell. The drinks aren't that good; the food is mediocre. And formal clothes suck. But if you all want to go, we'll go."

A cheer erupted from the rest of the bulls. The female members scattered to their dormitory wing, Noelle and Vanessa talking excitedly about dresses, Charmy following with a bowl of fried rice in her hands.

"Gray." Yami turned to the large form of the transformation mage. "If you're going, you're not going like that."

Gray transformed into Finral.

"I'll go like this then. I'm sure Finral would appreciate having a twin for the night."

"No."

Gray transformed into Vanessa.

"No."

Gray transformed into Gordon.

"Gods, no. If you're going to go, you need to go as yourself."

Gray transformed into a short, blue-haired femme presenting person who seemed far younger than their twenty-four years. They shrunk into themselves a bit. Yami placed a large hand on Gray's head.

"It will be fine, alright? We all look out for each other, right?"

They nodded before slinking after the girls.

Yami looked around the common room, which had emptied out rather quickly after he agreed to let them go. He sat back down and flipped through the paper to the article he had been reading.

"Bunch o' assholes." he muttered as he lit another cigarette.

He tried to focus on the paper, but the articles could not hold his interest. His mind kept returning to the ball he had agreed to attend. He hadn't been to one in six or seven years now. He had hated them then, and he had little hope of enjoying this one. But like the reluctant father giving into his kids demands, he would go. He would bring them, and he would make sure they had a good time, even if he did not.

"Shit." He flicked the ash which had built up on the end of his cigarette to the floor. He realized he also needed something to wear. He had burned all of his formal clothes when Julius had given him command of the Bulls. The squad was brand new, and Yami was not one to stand on formality. He had vowed then he would never need such things again. He stood and walked out of the building. If he had to go, if he had to take part in the ridiculous pageantry, he would do it on his own terms, just as he did everything else. He called Finral to send him to the Castle Town. He had a very specific tailor he needed to meet.

* * *

A/N: Just a silly idea I've had kicking around, based on the idea of military balls.


	2. Chapter 2

Vanessa turned to Noelle and Charmy excitedly walking backwards down the hallway.

"This is going to be so fun. I've never had much opportunity to dress up in formal clothes." She opened the door to her rarely used room. She typically ended up passed out in the common room, which led to her actual room becoming a storage area for her collection.

"I shudder to think what you view as formal clothes, Vanessa." Noelle flipped her hair.

"Pfft." Vanessa pulled out her wand and began manipulating the fabric and thread that filled her room.

Noelle looked at the stash of materials varying in colors and patterns in awe. She had never quite seen as much variety of fabric, even in the royal tailor's shop.

"Now, what to do, what to do?" Vanessa muttered to herself as she looked through the options. "Since it's our first time attending, we should definitely make a statement."

"I don't know if I want to make your kind of statement." Noelle glanced at the thread mage as her eyes were drawn to a diaphanous white fabric threaded with silver strands which sparkled in the dim light like diamonds.

"You are a beautiful young woman, Noelle. You should be making more of a statement, if you ask me." Vanessa looked over at the fabric she was handling. "It would look beautiful on you." She glanced at Charmy, who was still busily eating. "Don't spill any of that in here."

The door behind them opened and closed quietly as Gray tried to enter as unobtrusively as possible.

"Gray?" Vanessa asked, shock to see the shapeshifter's natural form.

"Yami said if I go, I have to go like this." They whispered.

"Don't worry, honey. I will make sure you are beautiful." Vanessa crouched down so she could look into the shorter mage's wide eyes.

"Can you make me invisible?" They stuttered.

Vanessa smile.

"Don't worry, Gray. I know it will be hard for you, but I won't make you any more uncomfortable than you will already be. Just promise me you won't try to hide." She pat the smaller mage on the head. "Now, I need to get to work."

Vanessa pulled a large bolt of fine black fabric from the stack lining one wall.

"This will be perfect." She rubbed the soft material between her fingers. It was as dark as the robes they wore, but more translucent somehow. "Noelle, bring me the bolt you were looking at before. The silver-white one." She laid the folded stack of fabric onto a table and motioned for Noelle to place the stack she retrieved next to it. She looked around and spotted another bolt of fabric she wanted.

"Gray, that gold lace to your left, can you get it?"

"What are you planning, Vanessa?" Noelle looked at the gathered materials as Gray placed the lace on the other side of the soft black fabric. Vanessa turned to her with a grin.

"You'll see. Now..."

She used her magic to build thread doll duplicates of each of them and then shooed them from the room.

"So, what's a ball again?" Asta asked.

"It's basically a party." Finral explained. "But more formal than say the festival. Which means we need to dress up. I can't wait to show the ladies how handsome I am when I put forth the effort."

"I wish I could bring Marie as my date."

"Gauch, she's too young for a ball." Finral said.

"Wait, Date?" Asta asked. He felt his heart race. "We need a date?"

Finral shook his head and rolled his eyes.

"No, you don't need a date. Some people bring them, but it's not a requirement."

"Oh. Still, I wonder if Sister Lily would like to go to a ball."

Finral looked at the remaining members of the squad. The girls had already gone off to do girl stuff in preparation. Even Gray was getting in on the action, apparently, which was a shock to him. However, as he looked at the male members of the team, he felt the sinking feeling which often hit him when he was trying to get a partner to go out. He sighed. They were a mess, and it was going to take herculean effort to make them presentable. Gauche, though constantly hung up on his sister, was likely to be the easiest, but the rest were all but hopeless.

"Alright, gentlemen. If the girls are going to make an effort, we should as well." The remaining men looked at him without comprehension. Finral sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose.

He opened a portal to the castle down and herded them through.

"Where are we going?" Magna asked before he was shoved through the tear in space.

"Shopping." He said through gritted teeth. Finral wondered how he would ever get a date with this lot of losers in tow.

"No, Sol. I do not need a new dress." Charlotte complained as the junior member of her squad yammered at her heels. "I don't even want to go to the ball. It's a stupid waste of time and everyone knows it." The annual event reminded her too much of the fancy parties her parents had thrown when she was a girl. They still threw the parties, but she never went to them anymore. Not since the one they had given her for her eighteenth birthday.

Her mother had insisted she be dressed in the latest fashion, though frilly dresses and the latest trends never suited her. Now Sol was being as much of a nag.

"But Sis, it might be fun!" The younger amazon of a woman looked starry-eyed at the Blue Rose captain

"Then you dress up." The entire affair reminded her of the Star Festival once more. The festival, in her mind, had been a disaster. From going out in a dress in the first place to the drinking contest. She still hadn't forgiven herself for getting involved in such a shameful activity.

Though it wasn't my fault I was in it in the first place, she thought, glancing at Sol.

She shouldn't have let herself get goaded, but he was there, in his next to nothing, and she stopped thinking straight after she saw him. She couldn't remember much past the first sip. She knew she had passed out pretty quick, but she thought she remembered him finishing her beer. She blushed at the memory.

Still, she did wish she had been able to see Nozel's face when Yami's team had taken second place. With their recent rise in the rankings, Charlotte wondered if Yami would actually show up at the ball. She could not recall ever seeing a Black Bull in attendance. She tried to picture Yami in formal clothing, but he seemed too rough around the edges for such niceties. She felt her face grow warm and her breath come short as she thought about his gruff nature, her mind wandering into places she would never share with anyone.

Sol prattled on. Charlotte tried to ignore her.

"I can just wear an old dress, Sol." She had given her mother the same argument many times; it fell on ears as deaf now as it had then. She kept walking, hoping to gain enough distance from the younger woman to be able to think clearly for a moment. She fought to keep the blush at bay, but her thoughts had betrayed her and now all she could think of was him. She hated when he would pop into her mind like this on the most random of occasions. Doubly so when she was not alone.

The sound of a familiar voice speaking a strange language turned her head. He was walking out of a shop, a sack slung over his shoulder.

What she would give to be that sack, she thought, and she immediately shook her head, reprimanding herself.

Sol had caught up to her by the time he had finished saying his good-byes to the man in the shop. She had caught his eye as he turned to the street. She narrowed her eyes, trying to make herself seem as disinterested as she could. She wracked her brain for a cleaver comeback should he say anything to her, preparing to meet his sarcasm with her own. She tried to slow her breathing, but she could not slow the racing of her heart.

"Come on, Sis. Let's go." Sol glared at the new arrival. Yami blew smoke in her face in response. Charlotte rolled her eyes, but she still felt the warmth in her cheeks.

"Well, well, look who it is-The aloof rose maiden and her little puppy."

"Who are you calling a puppy?" Sol countered, trying to force her way between Yami and Charlotte. Charlotte sighed as Yami chuckled at the display.

"Sol, no. Stop." Charlotte said, her tone flat with the knowledge the other woman would not listen to her.

"Sit." Yami glared at the younger woman, who immediately shrank from him. "You need to get a better handle on your kids, Queen of Thorns."

"And you need a better handle on everything." Including me, she added silently, only to chastise herself for the thought. What is wrong with me today? She wondered. "Including minding your own business."

"You feeling alright, Charlotte?" He took a step toward her, his brow furrowed as he looked at her.

Stay calm, stay calm, she repeated in her mind.

"I feel fine. Why?"

He leaned forward and looked at her for a moment longer.

"You look a little flushed is all." He waved his finger at her cheeks, slightly brushing them. "There."

She narrowed her eyes, her own brow furrowing and her lips pressing into a thin line, but she could not look away from him. She felt she would be lost in his eyes forever.

"No, I'm, I'm good." She said, certain he could see through her. She thought she would be much better if he threw her against the wall and... She forced herself to look away, angry with herself and convinced he could read her mind from the small twitch of his lips as she did so.

"So, uh, what brings you out today? I would think you would be off avoiding work as usual."

He turned his head and exhaled away from her before sticking his cigarette back between his lips.

"The stupid ball coming up. I can't believe I let her talk me into it." He shook his head.

Charlotte gasped and blinked. Her, who? she thought, feeling her stomach turn.

"The Star Festival is enough of a headache. This is thing, though, is a pain in the ass."

Charlotte nodded. He had captured her feelings precisely.

"I'm surprised you're going. You haven't been in years." She looked for him every year and was disappointed.

"Not since Julius stopped making me, but Noelle was... pushy." He rubbed the back of his head.

"Nozel's little sister?" She asked. Could he really like them so young? she wondered. Why am I so worried about this? It's not like I have any say on who he spends his time with.

He nodded and rolled his eyes.

"You're going, right?" His eyes seemed to search her face, darting from her eyes to lips to nose, his eyebrows slightly raised. He scratched at his neck.

She hadn't expected him to ask. She turned toward him and felt herself get trapped in his eyes once more.

"Unlike you, I can't get away with being... absent from things like this." She had searched for a word to solidify in his mind, and hers, the difference in their backgrounds, but she couldn't. Now, she wanted to crawl into a hole for sounding stupid.

He took the cigarette from between his lips and tilted his face away from her as he exhaled. She couldn't help but watch his lips, his tongue darting out quickly to wet them before placing the cigarette back between them. She bit her top lip hard, trying to refocus herself. The corner of his mouth twitched up briefly in almost a smile.

"Well, I guess I'll see you there." He turned, shifting the bag he held over his shoulder, and walked away. He glanced at Sol as he passed her, and Charlotte saw her glaring at him.

"How dare he say you aren't feeling well. You are the picture of health, Sis." The amazoness said, her hard eyes fixed on him. Charlotte, too, found herself staring as he walked down the street. She grew determined as he walked away from her.

If he really was more interested in little girls, she thought, then I will show him what he's missing.

"Sol, I think you're right. I need a new dress for this." She walked further down the street and turned into a dress shop.

"Alright, Boss!" Sol forgot her anger at the Black Bulls captain and hurried after her own. "You're going to be so beautiful."


	3. Chapter 3

"You sure were gone a long time." A woman, only a year younger than Charlotte stood in the doorway to her room. Her black hair cascaded down her back in wet ringlets as she had recently come from the bath.

"Was I? Sol insisted I try on every dress in the place." Charlotte placed a couple of bags on the hook inside her armoire before turning to her second in command.

"I see you got something new."

"What? Oh yeah. I figured it was about time. I mean, I have been cycling through the same few dresses for the last few years. Beside, I'm not the young girl I was when my mother picked out a few of them either."

The other woman laughed.

"And your mother had awful taste."

Charlotte smiled. Her mother would be appalled by the dress she had brought home. But she wasn't looking to please her mother with it. She was only interested in showing it to one person. She glanced back to the bag hanging in the closet.

"Well?"

"Well what?" Charlotte bit her bottom lip, her mind still thinking about what he would say when he saw her.

"Let me see it." The other woman elbowed her way past Charlotte and opened the garment bag. "Whoa." She chuckled. "Charlotte, really?" Her face erupted in a grin as she looked at her captain.

Charlotte blushed.

"What, Mira? I figured it was about time I started dressing a little more mature."

"Mature has never been the problem." The darker skinned woman pulled the dress off the hanger. "Stuffy has always been the problem; prim has been the problem. Never mature." She held the gown against her body. "This, on the other hand, this is down-right slutty. I love it." She looked at herself in the mirror with the gown pressed against her clothes. "I bet Sol loves it too." She grinned evilly at her now flustered captain. "This is so unlike you. Whose eye are you trying to catch?"

"What? Nothing, no one's. I just," Charlotte stumbled over her thoughts and words

"Then let's trade, This blue would be a great contrast with my skin, and I know quite a few guys on the other squads who would lose their shit to see me in this. I mean, this is risque even for me."

Charlotte ripped the dress from her hands.

"It's not that bad." She huffed as her second cackled. Her face was scarlet and she could feel her blood boiling.

"Relax, Charlotte. I'm only teasing." Mira regarded her captain with her large dark eyes, the smile still dancing on her lips. "Put it on. I wanna see."

Charlotte sighed, picked up the dress and changed into it. The bodice hugged her chest tightly and pushed her breasts up and out in a way which now made her self-conscious. She had been so intent in her goal of making Yami see her as someone worth pursuing, of seeing the value of a grown woman rather than a little girl when she bought the dress. Now she felt she had been rash with her decision. She had to admit she had bought the dress with him in mind, but looking at it now, she felt she would draw far more attention than just his.

"Come on, now. Let's see." Mira prodded. Charlotte sighed again and stepped out from behind the screen which blocked a portion of the room from her view. The younger woman whistled as she stepped out. "Nice. I love it. It looks great on you."

"I don't know. I was excited about it in the shop, but now. Maybe it's a little too much?" Charlotte looked at herself in the mirror. Her hair was still in its trademark tight bun, a single braid hung down the side of her face. She felt like she would spill out of the top of the dress with any slight movement.

"It is a little more revealing than you usually wear."

"It's a lot more revealing." She picked at the skirt, whose hem brushed the tops of her thighs, far above her knees before lengthening to nearly floor length in the back. The white and blue pattern shifted in the light. The fabric was beautiful and a large part of why she had picked this dress over other more modest ones. It was not the only reason, but the fabric had helped.

"I'm sure you noticed that in the store. Like I said, it's not like you at all." Mira walked over to the mirror and stood behind Charlotte. She pulled the tall blond's hair out of its severe style and let it fall in loose waves around her shoulders. "That's better."

Charlotte had to admit everything did look better with her hair down. She wondered what he would think of it. The last time he had seen her dressed up, he had laughed. She shifted nervously and blushed angrily.

"You know, when I was out looking for a dress myself, I saw a most curious sight, something I never expected to ever see." Mira fussed with her hair, trying to see how it would look in various configurations. "You'll let me do your hair and makeup for the ball, right?"

Charlotte nodded. She might be highly capable on the battle field, but she had never taken to her mother's attempts at teaching her the more womanly arts.

"Excellent. Anyway, I ran into Finral Roulacase shepherding a flock of hapless younger Black Bull members around town. Poor guy seemed at his wits end as he tried to make them presentable for the ball. Or at least that's what I assumed, given they were shopping for formal wear."

"Oh?" Charlotte tried to sound disinterested. While she could care less for what the rest of the squad of misfits did with their time, she felt her heartbeat quicken with the news as it confirmed that he would be in attendance.

"I don't think I've ever seen any of them at the ball." Mira twisted the blond strands into a tight bun, frowned and then loosened the twist.

"They've never been, not since the squad was formed."

"That's weird. Isn't it, I don't know, required?"

"Julius has always let Yummy, I mean Yami do whatever he wants." She cursed herself silently for the slip of her tongue. She prayed Mira had not caught the misstep, but the sly look on the reflection of the dark woman's face told her the slip up had not gone unnoticed.

"Oh, Charlotte, where is your mind?" Mira laughed as she tried another up-swept style in Charlotte's hair. Nothing was quite working to her satisfaction. She pulled out the binding on the braid and loosened the plait. "I mean, not that he isn't."

"Isn't what?" Charlotte closed her eyes as the other woman's long fingers worked through her hair, rubbing over her scalp.

"Yummy. I mean he isn't conventionally handsome, but he certainly reeks of virility."

Charlotte knew she was blushing, though she could not see her reflection. She could hear the amusement in her second's voice.

"I didn't think you were into men who were so..." So many words passed through her mind, words which belied her physical and emotional state at the moment, which would put on display just how much she wanted him right now. "Muscular." She settled after a moment.

"Honey, you know my type is anything with a dick, right?"

Charlotte blushed again. Mira was as far from her personality-wise as she could possibly be. She was promiscuous, where Charlotte was prudish. Mira loved men, for how she could use them for her own benefit, where Charlotte hated them for their weaknesses, especially when it came to her beauty. Mira wanted everyone to admire her, to fawn over her, to beg for her attention, where Charlotte wanted none of it, except from perhaps him. She still wasn't sure what she wanted from him.

She only knew she wanted it.

"Well, I think I know what I'm going to do with your hair. Now, let's figure out the rest of this outfit." Mira changed the subject, reading her captain's uneasiness.

"No, I think I'll just bring this back and wear something I already have."

"Absolutely not." The younger woman stared down her reflection. "Charlotte, when was the last time you," Mira made a face as she tried to find a euphemism that wouldn't freak out the prude of a captain. "You know, been with someone, anyone?"

She looked at her own reflection and then back to her second. Her shoulders sank and her eyes drifted to the floor.

"OK, that's too long. You're what, twenty-seven?"

Charlotte shrugged.

"Please tell you have had sex before."

"What? yeah, well, once, sort of." Charlotte mumbled.

"With a man? A woman? Masturbation doesn't count."

Charlotte's eyes shot back up to Mira's eyes reflected in the mirror. They drifted away once more, guiltily as she sighed.

"No, Honey. You are wearing this dress. I am going to make you look fabulous. And you are going to get laid, because damn girl, you need it."

"But I don't want..."

"Don't lie to me."

"I'm not lying." Charlotte said under her breath. Mira looked at her in the mirror. Despite the reflection, Charlotte could feel the weight of her stare.

"You're in love with him." Mira's eyes grew wide with the realization. Charlotte pressed her lips into a thin line as her cheeks reddened once more and she wrung her hands nervously. Mira stared at the blond for a long moment, at a loss for words.

"How long has this been, I mean, how long have you been? Is he?"

"I, I don't know. A while, I guess." She lied; it had been years since she had fallen for him. She had done her best to keep it hidden, tucked away deep inside, but for some reason, recently, she found herself thinking of him more and more. She found it more and more difficult to hide.

"Well, that definitely puts a different spin on things." Mira paced behind her for a moment. "OK, then, we will simply use the ball to find out if he feels the same way."

"Please don't try to set me up." Charlotte sighed, not quite liking the younger woman's train of thought. She rubbed her hand over her eyes as a pain grew behind them. Mira grinned evilly.

* * *

Several days had passed since the Black Bulls had learned of the upcoming ball and Finral had finally accepted the fact that everyone else in the squad was going to embarrass him at the event. He had tried to coach Asta and Magna on proper etiquette at these sorts of events, and he had failed miserably. Luck and Gauche were only marginally better. He was grateful the ball wasn't a mixer and he only had to make sure the rest of the guys weren't complete animals, rather than making sure they were presentable to women, but the task was still daunting.

He collapsed on the couch only to realize it was actually available for him to collapse on once he was seated. He looked around the common room. Noelle was reading something, Charmy was eating as usual, but otherwise the room was empty.

"Where's Vanessa?" He asked. It dawned on him that the drunken witch hadn't been around the last few days. Or at least he hadn't seen her, which is entirely possible as he had undertaken his own impossible mission and hadn't been around much himself.

Noelle shrugged, but did not look up from her book and Charmy did not bother to respond as she continued to nosh away at her second breakfast. He stood up and walked over to the bar where she would have been if she had not been passed out on the couch. He peaked behind the bar at the stash of booze Magna had picked up a couple of days ago. It was his turn to resupply and he knew he would have to do it soon. But taking stock of the supply, he was shocked to find it still reasonably full.

"What the hell? Is she even here?" he muttered to himself.

"The last I saw her was when she kicked us out of her room after the Captain said we were going to the ball." Noelle said from behind her book.

"She has a room?" Frankly, the idea shocked Finral as much as the full wine and beer stores. Vanessa had become such a fixture in the common room, he had sort of assumed she lived there. He shook his head. Of course she had a room, he thought. We all did.

Right at that moment, she slid around the corner from the hallway and burst excitedly into the common room.

Finral nearly gasped when he saw her. Her eyes were clear and focused in a way he didn't think he had ever seen on her before. She was flushed, but with excitement rather than drunkenness. Her hair was pulled back on the top of her head, but some curly strands escaped the messy bun to trail down her neck or were tucked behind her ears. Vanessa had always been beautiful and flirtatious. But he had never given her much thought. She was a teammate, and she was older, not by much, but she wasn't the younger girls he preferred. Still, something about her in that moment made him see her differently.

"Noelle, Charmy, come on. I'm almost done, but I need you two to try them on. I can't put the finishing touches on them until I know they fit." Vanessa panted as she corralled the two younger women. "Where's Gray?" She looked around, but could not find any of Gray's most common forms.

Noelle sighed, closed her book and walked calmly to the doorway.

"They went out with Gordon." Charmy said around a mouthful of food as she carried her bowl with her.

"Leave that here, Charmy." Vanessa ordered.

Charmy's shoulders sank as she put her bowl down. She hurriedly shoveled the remaining crumbs into her mouth before following the others.

Finral looked around the empty common room once they left in confusion. Everything happened so quickly, he felt his head was spinning. It was only when he sat down and poured himself a rare drink-because there was actually drink to be had-that he realized Vanessa had not only been sober, but was fully dressed in a gown he had never seen before. He sighed as he leaned on the bar and took a large swallow of the strong liquor. He made a face before taking another sip.

"This entire thing is going to be a disaster," he said to himself, his eyes drifting to the hallway the women had gone down. He downed the rest of his glass

Vanessa herded Noelle and Charmy into her room which was now strewn with bits of black, silver and gold fabric everywhere. She was wearing a long black gown that hugged her body before it flared out into a flowing skirt. A cut out section revealed a long strip of skin between her breasts and her belly and drapes of fabric hung from her shoulders. Noelle looked at the gown, wondering both how the dress didn't fall off of her and how it contained her ample bosom.

"This one is yours, Charmy." Vanessa took the poofy gown off of the thread double that was just Charmy's size. The dress was a combination of black, white and gold with a multilayered enormous skirt that made Noelle think of a dark and gothic cupcake. Charmy looked at the dress with wide eyes.

"Really?" The short young woman touched the fine material, before Vanessa helped her into it. The strapless top hugged Charmy's figure perfectly. Noelle thought it made her seem older and somehow taller. Charmy picked up the full skirt and twirled around.

"Yes really." Vanessa laughed, obviously pleased with her work. "How does it feel?"

"It's so spinny. I feel like a cupcake."

"You look like a cupcake." Noelle added. Charmy grinned at the response.

"Say, Noelle, all the knights are supposed to go to this right?"

"As far as I know. I remember my siblings all talking about it like it was expected of them."

"I wonder if he'll be there, then." Charmy muttered to herself.

"Oh? He, who?" Vanessa asked as she pinched the fabric a bit here and there trying to fine tune the fit.

"My meal-saving prince." Charmy blushed.

"You mean, Yuno? Stupidsta's friend?" Noelle asked from where she was leaning on the doorway.

Charmy only blushed and Vanessa chuckled as she finished the fitting and unlaced the back of the gown.

"Your turn, Noelle." She held out an elegant black and silver gown. "Come on, get naked."

The dress was a different from Charmy's and the one Vanessa wore as it could possibly be. It was not unlike the design of the outfit she normally wore, but somehow, it looked more formal.

"I hate when you say stuff like that." Noelle tried to frown, but she couldn't keep a smile from her face as she looked at the gown. "My brother is going to hate this." Noelle said as she touched the combination of Silva silver and Bulls black. She undressed quickly and as modestly as she could, and Vanessa helped her into the two piece garment. A short black strapless dress clung to her skin from just above her breasts to her mid thigh. From the center of the top of the dress, Vanessa pulled two black straps over her shoulders and around her neck. The straps were tied loosely at the back of her neck as Vanessa attached the over-skirt around her waist. The skirt was diaphanous alternating and overlapping panels of silver and black attached to a wide silver girdle slung low over her hips. Several long strands hung down the front of the skirt.

"Uh, Vanessa?" Noelle picked up the silver strands that pooled on the ground at her feet. "I think I'll trip over these."

"What? Oh. Don't worry, they go over your shoulders. Like this." Vanessa picked up the first of the wide strips of nearly transparent silver fabric and crossed it over Noelle's chest and over the opposite shoulder. She did the same with another strip, then another and another, until four strips crossed over Noelle's chest in a basket weave like pattern. Vanessa secured the strips somehow along the back of the gown before tying everything off with a large black and silver bow.

"It takes a little longer to get into, but, I think the effect is worth the effort, don't you?" Vanessa turned Noelle to the mirror. The younger woman gasped at her image. "I didn't want to ruin the effect with gold, so..." Vanessa waved her wand and a silver version of their squad symbol wove itself into the fabric around the hem of the black skirt panels. "And since we know your siblings are going to hate it anyway..." Another flick of her want and black versions of the Silva family crest threaded their way through the silver skirt panels. Vanessa met Noelle's gaze with a wicked smile.

Noelle looked at herself in the mirror and felt like she was staring at someone else. She had never seen herself dressed so maturely, and she had to admit her surprise with Vanessa's choice of style. She had been sure the former witch would use the event as an excuse to dress everyone as provocatively as herself. Turning to see the dress from various angles, Noelle realize that Vanessa had shown great restraint in designing the fairly modest dress, but she had been subversive as well in her color choices and especially the use of the symbols. Noelle met her smile before turning around and hugging the older woman.

"Thank you." She whispered as she fought the tears threatening to fall. She had never felt beautiful until the moment she saw herself in the gown. She had never felt as confident in her skin or as powerful-not magically, she had never questioned her magical power even though she still had trouble controlling that power. This sense of power was different. Sure, it incorporated her magical strength, but it was more basic than that, more fundamental. All of the times she had used her status to grant her power over others felt cheap compared to what she now saw when she looked at herself in the mirror.

"You're welcome. Though we will have to do something with your hair." Vanessa smiled as she fiddled with the end of one of Noelle's pigtails. "So, Noelle, anyone whose eye you're looking to catch? Or do you just want to catch the whole room?"

"What? No." Noelle blushed. Vanessa chuckled as she went to work making minor adjustments to the gown for movement. Noelle huffed once, trying to convince herself she did not care who saw her dressed up like this, but she wondered if Asta was going to make even half the effort.

* * *

A/N: Charlotte really needs a friend that isn't Sol... Like for real. Also, I haven't done anything except a basic grammar and spell check on this.


	4. Chapter 4

Yami walked into the ballroom at the palace as confidently as he could, but he felt like a sham, as if his confidence was an act. He looked out at all of the other magic knights, nearly all of them nobles despite Julius' best effort and had the distinct feeling of not fitting in, of not being wanted. He had gotten used to the feeling over the years. He did what he would always do when he was overcome by these feelings; he squared his shoulders and moved forward, daring anyone to give him shit. He had only ever let himself give in to these feelings of defeat once, and he regretted it every day since. He had vowed he would never be so stupid again.

Still, he hated the formality of the event. He had hated it when Julius had forced him to go when he was younger, and he hated it now. At least now, though, he could dress as he wanted, instead of in the stiff formal wear Julius had forced him into. His mentor had told him it was to help him better blend with the culture. Yami hadn't bought it then, not entirely, But he had acquiesced. Now though, he could do what he wanted out from under Julius' watchful eye. And so, he had decided to wear something, well, he couldn't call it more familiar, as the crisp silk of his divided hakama was far more sensuous than anything he had ever experienced as the son of a fisherman, and the formal layers of the kimono were embroidered with symbols he knew were marks high above his station. Rather, it was nostalgic, reminding him of the legends of warriors of his youth. Despite the formality, the outfit moved easily with him and gave him more freedom than he ever had in a suit.

He grinned as he passed some of the other captains at the look of shock on their faces. Since joining their ranks, he had made a point of trying to shock them whenever possible. Usually he did so with words, but it was not the first time he had done so with his appearance. Nozel's face, especially, was priceless. Yami always loved yanking the royal's chain, ever since they were younger. Truthfully, he enjoyed giving all the other captains a hard time; it was his nature and how he learned to cope with the abuse he had garnered upon his arrival in the kingdom. In many ways, Nozel was the worst of the bunch with his haughty attitude. His siblings weren't much better, Yami thought, and sometimes they were worse. Especially given what he had heard from Noelle about how they had treated her.

But now with Noelle in his squad, and with the incredible improvements the young woman had made, he couldn't wait to rub it in the Silver Eagles captain's face. Of course, given his idiots penchant for the disastrous, he would only have to sit back and watch as the insanity unfolded. He couldn't wait.

He winked as he passed Nozel and his other two siblings who had tilted their heads together in quiet gossip. Sometimes he wondered about those two.

He continued to scan the room as he made his way to the man who had been both mentor and friend to him over the years. A line of people surrounded him, waiting to greet him as they joined the party. Yami rolled his eyes as he stepped into line. He knew Julius would not have done anything to him aside from a mild ribbing now and again later until the day one of them died had he breeched protocol and jumped to the front of the line, and normally Yami could deal with those consequences. But he was not in attendance as Julius' friend alone. He shuffled his feet in the line as the weight of his position settled into his shoulders. He had to set a proper example for his own squad, even though he hated it. So he found himself in line behind a couple of excitable members of the Aqua Deer squad.

Overhearing their conversation made him wonder how different the squad was without Julius in charge. He could not imagine Ril being as rigid as Julius had been, but then, Yami thought Julius had only been so strict with him, and only about certain things.

The line seemed to creep along slowly and Yami fidgeted from boredom. He looked out the tall glass windows set into the massive, yet delicate doors leading out to the balcony. He longed to be out in the cool night air where he could have a cigarette in peace, without the reprimanding look he knew Julius would give him if he decided to smoke inside. One more reason to avoid these things, he thought. His eyes darted around the room, scanning for others of interest, members of his team or other friends he might have to whom he could talk. As the line crept along and he shuffled forward, he caught sight of a brief flash of blond hair and the flick of a blue and white skirt which made his heart stop. He tried to focus on the vision before it vanished into the crowd.

"Dammit," he muttered as he lost sight of her and the line shifted once more and suddenly he was face to face with his superior, his mentor, his friend. Julius smiled in his peculiar way as Yami shook his hand. Yami always thought the smile looked like a strange cross between surprise and inevitability, like Julius was constantly being surprised by things he knew might happen. Given his penchant for time magic and how he wasn't quite able to explain to anyone just how it worked, Yami wondered if he did indeed know things which should be beyond the understanding of simple humans.

"Yami." Julius clasped Yami's hand and then pulled him into an unexpected hug, clapping his other arm around Yami's muscled shoulder. "I see you decided to wear sleeves for once?" He whispered.

"Fuck off, Julius." Yami responded in the same jovial tone, to which Julius laughed. Yami knew he was privileged at knowing Julius well enough to not watch his mouth.

"Where's your squad?" Julius looked over Yami's shoulder into the crowd for unfamiliar faces.

"I'm sure they will be along shortly."

"Waiting for a grand entrance?" Julius chuckled. Yami shrugged. And the line behind him grew restless. "Come have a drink with me later, once some of the formality dies down."

"Sure." Yami turned his attention back to the crowd, his eyes searched once more for the vision he had seen earlier. She was much easier to spot from up on the dais, but now he had found her, he felt frozen.

"Go talk to her." Julius whispered from his side, startling Yami ever so slightly.

"What? No."

Julius raised his eyebrow and regarded Yami for a moment.

"Go. Talk. To her." He emphasized his order with a slight shove to Yami's back. With the extra force, Yami rushed down the stairs in a coordinated and graceful stumble. He glared at Julius as he recovered himself before he wound his way to a pair of tall glass doors which stood open onto the balcony.

The night air on his skin was cool after the excessive heat of the gathered humans in the room. Yami breathed more easily free of the crowd. He pulled the tin where he kept his cigarettes from the spot he had tucked it away in his suit. He withdrew one of the cigarettes and stuck it between his lips. He lit its end after he returned the tin to its hiding spot and took a long drag. He held onto the breath for a moment, savoring the feeling, the taste before he let it out slowly. He should talk to her, he told himself. He wanted to talk to her,but something about talking to her here, now... well, it seemed more intimate, maybe than running into her on the street. Approaching her now would take intention, and he wasn't sure what his intentions were. He had been dancing around his feelings for her for years, but whenever he thought about acting on them, he felt he was once again unwanted, clumsy, and awkward.

He took another deep inhale on the cigarette, held it, and blew out slowly. He glanced back at the crowd through the window, wishing she would come out to him, wishing she would make a move. He knew she shared his affliction; Julius had spilled that news a few years ago. He wondered if she had found some way to move past the curse and the breaking of it.

Another drag, another exhale, and he berated himself for his cowardice. Of course, she would not approach him. He had done nothing to let her know what he wanted. In fact, he had done everything he could to make her think he didn't want her.

"Why am I so fucked up?" he muttered as he finished the cigarette and entered the room once more, looking for his squad.

The murmur which had sounded through the room when he had entered was nothing compared to the silence which hung over the room. Yami felt a proud grin creep over his lips when he saw the focus of everyone's stare. His idiots, his misfits, his kids stood at the doorway, a black streak slicing through the garish colors of the rest of the crowd.

\\*\\*\\*

Vanessa lifted her chin as she looked into the eyes of each of the other knights staring at her and her compatriots. She could not help but smile at the reaction of the dancers who had stopped to stare. She noticed a couple who bore a striking resemblance to Noelle, with the same silver hair and violet eyes. Vanessa was not sure, but she thought they could have passed for twins. The young woman's eyes had fallen on Noelle, who Vanessa could feel shifting nervously behind her, and fixed her with a harsh glare. The young man's eyes wandered, though he also glared at his sister. Vanessa flicked her long pink hair over her shoulder in a movement designed to capture his attention. With his attention now on her, Vanessa fluttered her eyes and smiled at him. When the color rose to his pale cheeks and he bit his lip, she had found her target.

Despite the stares and scoffing, Vanessa beamed with pride as the squad cut straight through the dance floor to the other side of the room. Yami waited and watched from near a tall window. She could see his shoulders shake with a slight chuckle and a wicked grin hit his face. The only thing missing was his cigarette and his sword slung over his shoulder. The dancers and celebrants parted as they passed, allowing them plenty of room. All eyes were on them, she knew and she was confident they all looked the part-just formal enough with a touch of rebellion and danger. Gray whimpered slightly behind their face veil, still uncomfortable with the attention. Vanessa had made a point to hide Gray as much as she could, but she guessed the crowd alone had set them ill at ease. She was about to reach for their hand when Gauche placed a hand on their shoulder. Vanessa nodded as she glanced behind her, thinking how much Gauche had grown into being a team player in the last few months. Hell, she thought, we've all grown as a team.

And tonight, the team had a very special mission. Well, maybe it wasn't the entire team, or even any of the others, but she had set a mission for herself. She knew she had to see it through tonight, or she would likely never get a second chance. Once they had reached Yami on the other side of the room, Gray had scurried to the far side of the table, as close to the wall as they could get, and Charmy made a line for the buffet table. Luck and Magna took seats and fell into some conversation which did not interest Vanessa in the least. And Asta looked around as clueless as ever. She glanced over at Yami, but the captain's attention was focused elsewhere. Vanessa had thought she might get a chance to play with him again before she got started, but seeing his distraction, she decided to try later. Maybe then, he might be a little more uninhibited, she thought.

Vanessa saw to it that her squad mates had found something to do and were occupied before she implemented her plan. She had decided, after talking with Noelle about her family, that she needed to do something to pay them back for the years of abuse the subjected their little sister to. She knew she had already caught the eye of the younger of the two Silva boys. He hadn't been able to keep his eyes off of her as she walked passed him earlier. And she could feel stares from several people from across the room.

Vanessa glanced back at her comrades, who were all occupied, before grabbing a bottle of wine and sauntering over to the table where her target sat with his other sister. She walked past, swinging her hips just so as she crossed his field of vision. He had been discussing something with his sister, telling her something Vanessa could care less about. He stopped mid-sentence as she tossed him a smile over her shoulder.

Hooked, she thought as she retrieved a pair of glasses. Sometimes guys were so easy.

She walked back to the table he shared with his sister. A couple of other silver eagle members sat on the other side of the round table, but there was an empty seat on the side of him. She pulled the vacant chair from the table and sat next to him, pouring wine into the two glasses. She positioned herself so he would have to turn his back on his sister to talk to her.

She was not surprised when he did exactly that.

"You're Solid, right?" She asked, sipping her glass. She would have normally gone straight for the bottle, but this was a mission, and normal was not on the menu. She slid the other glass toward him.

"That's right." He lifted the glass to his lips, as his eyes traveled down her body and landed on her ample and fairly exposed bosom.

His eyes reminded her of Luck's eyes; they would have been nice to look at but for the insanity dancing beneath them. However, unlike the bull's resident crazy person, she could see a bit of sadism in his gaze. Vanessa thought he was handsome-nearly all of the royals had beautiful features, she had expected no less. But she could also see why Noelle was the most scared of him out of all of her siblings.

"Have a drink with me." She said as a sadistic grin spread over her own face. She took another sip as he matched her smile and drank the wine she had given him. They talked about nonsense, and it wasn't long before Vanessa could read desire in his body language. Despite what his body said, his words were cruel and belittling. He spoke badly of her squad one second, while praising her beauty the next, all the while holding out membership in his group as an offering in exchange for certain favors.

She had no intention in taking him up on his offer, but she strung him along, alluding to confirmation of his prejudices of what it was like living as a Black Bull. After a few more minutes, and a couple of more glasses, she leaned toward him, whispering exactly what he wanted to hear.

"This party is boring." She whispered, her breath hot against his ear. "Wanna get out of here?" He cocked his head toward her, a satisfied grin on his face.

"That is the best idea I've heard all night." She could tell he was trying to sound older, more mature, more like his brother, as he deepened his voice to a husky whisper. Vanessa giggled and bit her bottom lip in a way she knew would drive him mad.

"Come on." She stood and held her hand out to him. He slipped his hand in hers and stood, pulling her close as he did so. She was nearly as tall as he was in her heels; he looked her straight in the eye as he hand slipped around the curve of her back. She could see the desire in his eyes, barely reigned in by the public setting. Poor stupid boy, she thought as she pressed her body against his until their noses were touching.

He broke before she could lead him away, losing the game with a sloppy inexperienced kiss. She brushed his cheek with her fingertips as he pulled away from her until their eyes met once more. His eyes were darker, more blue than Noelle's, she noticed, but now the blue was a thin band around his dilated pupils. His breath was ragged as he spoke.

"There are some rooms used for visiting dignitaries down the hall. No one uses them much." His hands gripped her hips, pulling her against his.

"Sounds perfect." She placed her hands over his and slipped her fingers between his, intertwining their hands and removing his hold on her. She turned so her back was to him and led him from the ballroom. He wrapped his arms around her waist, keeping her close as they dodged the crowd. His fingers on her taut belly slipped beneath the cut-out edge of her dress and teased her skin. Vanessa hastened her steps before he found a way to disrobe her in the middle of the room. Her actions were an effort to embarrass him, she reminded herself, not to allow him to embarrass her. His lips grazed the bare skin at her neck as they broke free of the crowd and slipped through the door. Once the door had closed behind them, he tried pushing her against the wall for what she could only assume was a desperate kiss. She could see the desperation in his eyes as she held him at arm's length.

"Now where are those rooms?" She asked, her voice just eager enough to command him. He groaned in frustration as he led her down the hallway, hand in hand.

That's right, worm, she thought as she looked at the back of his head. His silver hair-lighter than Noelle's, she noted- was neatly braided down his neck in a style which mimicked his brother's more flamboyant coif. She wondered just how long his hair was as they slipped through the door. She vowed to satisfy her curiosity as she planned the second stage of her attack.

\\*\\*\\*

Noelle watched the dancers spinning on the floor from her seat at the table. Everyone was dressed in a rainbow of colors, mostly drawing from their squad's signature hue for inspiration. She looked down at her own gown, a finer garment than any she had worn before, despite her upbringing. Vanessa had told her it was cut perfectly for dancing, regardless of its appearance. She wanted to try it out.

She noticed Mimosa dancing with another member of the Golden Dawn-not Asta's friend, but their senior, whose name she couldn't remember. She blushed heavily remembering his reaction in the swimsuit shop. She needed to find a partner, but everyone who seemed interested in dancing was already paired up. She looked back at her teammates. Magna, Luck, and Asta were alternating between confused looks at the crowd and their own discussion. Gauche was wandering around talking to himself, or so it seemed. Noelle was fairly certain he was talking to his sister through their magic mirror. Finral had already disappeared to chat up the ladies. Vanessa had disappeared to who knows where. Gray was sitting on the far side of the table, pouting because of the no magic rule at the ball and having to be in their natural form. And Captain Yami sat near Gray, but seemed distracted somehow. She noticed his eyes kept darting around the room, like he was looking for something, or someone.

Noelle sighed as she sat heavily in the chair. She decided she should have joined Charmy at the buffet table. At least she could to get something to eat over there. She thought about joining her, but Noelle felt it would be awkward to go over there now. As she watched her short senior, she saw she was talking to someone. Noelle sighed again and watched the crowd.

That's it, she told herself after watching the movements of the dancers for a few minutes more. She stood up and practically stomped her way around the table to Asta.

She looked Asta over. She would never admit it, but whatever the other guys on the squad had done to clean him up, they had done a good job. Almost as good a job as Vanessa had done with her dress.

"I guess I will give you the privilege of dancing with me, Stupidsta." Noelle said with a flip of her hair hanging down over one shoulder.

"I, um, I don't know how to dance." He scratched at the back of his head, his eyes darting around the room before they landed on her. Noelle thought he might be trying to avoid her.

Every time Asta looked at her, he found it difficult to breath, like he was gasping for air. He tried to avoid doing so as much as he could. But he kept returning to her, despite part of him wanting to run away, go talk to Yuno, or anyone else but her.

"How do you not know how to dance?" Noelle asked, assuming, in her haughty way it would be something everyone learned how to do growing up.

"Well, I don't know how to dance with a girl." Asta made the mistake of looking at her, of catching her violet eyes. He swallowed hard.

A large intimidating presence overshadowed both of the teens.

"No man who can't dance should ever wield a sword." Captain Yami said from behind him, making Asta stiffen further. A soft chuckle came from the next table over at the proclamation. "Noelle, teach him." He ordered as he grabbed for his cigarette, only to remember it was missing. He frowned, disappointed.

"Yes sir." Noelle said, feeling put out by the task, despite having made the offer already. She went to flip her hair, but it only hung over one shoulder rather than the two her normal pigtails covered. She switched hands and completed the movement before reaching for Asta's arm.

"Come on, Stupidsta." She took Asta's hand and put his it on her waist before taking hold of his other hand. "Now don't think this means you can just go touching me whenever you want."

"Ok." Asta stiffened as he placed his hands on Noelle and she started moving her feet.

"Just follow me." She said as she shuffled her feet toward him. He stepped back and watched her feet. He frowned as he tried to match his movements to hers. "One, two, three. One, two, three." She counted the rhythm of the movements as she dragged him around the small portion of the dance floor near the table the Black Bulls had claimed.

Yami watched the kids, shaking his head in amusement when a sudden presence made him shiver.

"I take it from your earlier statement, that you do know how to dance." Her voice at his shoulder was rich and expectant. He turned to her, taking a deep breath as his eyes traveled up her body, noting the significantly more provocative cut of her dress than anything he had ever seen her in before. The gown kissed the tops of her thighs and hugged her hips in a way which left him wanting. He forced himself to meet her eyes, only to feel himself inhale deeply once more.

"I've been known to on occasion." He felt his tongue dart out between his lips, and he wished he had a cigarette.

Charlotte raised her eyebrows as a small smile turned her lips up. He held his hand out to her. She bit her lip before the smile spread further across her face. She placed her hand in his which brought a toothy grin to his lips that crinkled the area around his eyes and cut deep lines into his face. He squeezed her hand as he led her to the dance floor. As they slipped between the already dancing couples swirling around the room, he turned to her and felt his breath leave him in a gasp. The last time he had seen her dressed up was at the Star Festival. She had looked beautiful then-who was he kidding, he always thought she looked beautiful no matter what she was wearing. But now?

Now she was stunning.

Her blond hair had been pulled up into a loose messy bun and her trademark braid was nowhere to be found. Instead, soft curls framed her face.

"What?" She asked as he stared.

"Nothing." He shook his head, licking his lips unconsciously as his eyes drifted down her body. He slipped his free hand around her waist and pulled her close to him, perhaps a little too close, but he didn't really care. Not when he had been pining for her for so long. She stiffened briefly at their nearness but then relaxed into his touch as he began to move them around the dance floor. He could not take his eyes off of her, and relied on his ability to sense ki to avoid any potential collisions with other dancers. As they moved, he leaned forward to her ear.

"You look beautiful." he whispered, his lips brushing her ear. She looked up at him and brushed his cheek before resting her hand back on his shoulder.

"You clean up pretty well yourself." She smiled and was met once more with his broad grin before he whirled her around, spinning her away from him, only to bring her back into a tight embrace.

The music changed and his rhythm did as well as he followed the beat as it shifted to a more energetic flow. He twisted her in his arms, leaning her back, leaning over her closely until his lips brushed hers. He pressed his lips more firmly against hers as her fingers slipped up his neck from their resting spot on his shoulder. He kissed her still as he pulled her back up to standing, his hands sliding up her back.

"That's two I've stolen." He whispered as his eyes met hers. He could not hide his desire, not from her, not when they were so close and her fingers still stroked the back of his neck. Not when her scarlet lips parted in a way that made him want to kiss them again. Her lips had been so soft like the petals of the flower for which she was known, not like the first time he had kissed her. She had slapped him then, and he expected as much tonight when he had taken the chance.

"You can't steal what is given freely, Yami."

His eyebrows shot upward as she pulled him to her and kissed him again. He gripped her waist as she interlaced her fingers behind his neck. He planted his feet as he pulled her close, letting the rest of the world spin around him. Her fingers brushed through the short hair at the back of his neck as she pulled away from him. He swallowed hard, trying to ease his expectations.

No way this is happening, he thought as he looked into her bright blue eyes and at the smile on her face.

"I've wanted to do that for so long." Her breath was short and shallow as she quickly whispered the admission. He reached up and tucked a loose strand of curled blond hair behind her ear. Her hands slipped from around his neck over the edge of the open jacket he wore. Her attention turned from his eyes to the white embroidered clovers on the jacket's banding. A dark red blush contrasted with her porcelain skin. He wanted to ask her if there was anything else she had wanted to do, but he was reluctant as he lifted her face to his once more.

He shouldn't have been scared. Not when he saw the look in her eyes, the flush on her cheeks and the way her lips were parting ever so slightly.

"So, uh," He leaned in close to her ear, feeling her body tremble against his as his lips grazed her skin. "Anything else you've wanted to do?" He nipped at her neck and she gasped. Encouraged, he lay a line of kisses down the her neck to her shoulder where he nibbled at the exposed skin.

"Maybe we," She inhaled sharply at his touches. "Maybe we should step out for a bit?"

He looked at her half-lidded eyes and the flush which now spread down to her chest. He knew what she meant, what she wanted. He wanted it, too, and he was tired of unspoken rules holding him back-even if those rules had been self-imposed. But he needed to hear her say it.

"Outside, or?" He let the question hang, hoping she would fill in the blank. But if she didn't, he could definitely use a smoke.

"I was thinking somewhere without so many people. A little more..." She glanced around the room as if looking there would help her find the word she needed. "private? Intimate?"

The grin was back on his face and his tongue darted between his lips once more.

"That'd be nice."

"Even for some quick, before our presence is missed?" She slid her fingertips beneath the band on the kimono and brushed his skin beneath.

"Charlotte," He breathed. "There is nothing I want to do with you one could consider 'quick'."

"Oh." She looked up at him, at the curl of his lips and his hooded eyes. She was certain her desire was as evident on her face as his.

"But, I'll figure something out. Lead on, Gorgeous." He ran his hands over her shoulders and down her arms. He interlaced his fingers with hers before bringing their joined hands to his lips and kissing the back of each of hers.

She backed them through the crowd, not wanting to take her eyes from his as the moved to the door.


	5. Chapter 5

Charmy salivated as she approached the buffet table. Everything looked so good and she vowed to taste it all. She could have eaten the entire buffet once she heard her stomach grumbling with hunger, but Vanessa had made her promise to not eat too much.

"Otherwise you'll rip the dress, and then where will you be? They might throw you out." Vanessa's words echoed through her mind as she worked to fill up her plate. Just a taste, she told herself.

"Oh, if it isn't my favorite of the Magic Knights!" A voice sounded from behind the buffet table. "Come to sample my creations again?"

Charmy smiled up at the chef standing over the food.

"I wouldn't dream of doing anything else, kind sir. Your food is so delicious and invigorating! I want to eat everything up, but I was told I have to save some for everyone else." Her face fell at the thought.

The chef laughed.

"Don't worry, Ms. Magic Knight. I will go prepare a meal especially for you." He grinned before scurrying off.

Charmy beamed as she turned her attention to the line of food before her. As she continued to fill her plate, she felt arm hit something tall and bony. Her plate began to slip from her hands faster than she could react. She gasped as another steadied the plate for her. She turned to look up at her food's savior and blushed. Her meal-saving prince had once again come to her rescue.

"Thank you." She mumbled, as he stood and looked down at her, not in a patronizing way, but because he was so much taller than she was. He smiled a small smile.

"We seem to keep running into each other." He noted his voice as light as the mood in the room.

"And you keep saving my food." Charmy could feel her blush deepening. "You're Asta's friend, right?" She asked as they shuffled down the buffet line.

"I don't know if I would say 'friend'. We're more rivals than anything."

"But you two grew up together, or that's what Asta's told me."

He chuckled.

"We did, indeed. Asta's, well, Asta's more like my brother than anything, I guess. I'm Yuno."

"I know, I, I mean, It's nice to formally meet you, Yuno. I'm Charmy."

He nodded as he had also known her name and Charmy suddenly couldn't breathe. She kept glancing up at him as he picked out bits of food from the buffet line. She wanted to say more to him, but she couldn't think of anything to say. She looked at his plate, noticing how it was piled high with lush ripe fruit and dripping slices of meat.

"You like fruit?" She asked, feeling dumb for asking.

"Huh? He looked at her confused before he looked at his own plate and noticed how much of it was covered with strawberries and melon pieces. He smiled at the observation. "Yeah, I guess I do. We didn't get such luxuries growing up."

Charmy giggled.

"All Asta ever talks about is tatoes, like they are the best thing ever. We even had an eating contest with them."

Yuno rolled his eyes.

"Not a surprise. Is he still hung up on Sister as well?"

Charmy furrowed her brow as she scooped a spoonful of corn and bean salad onto her plate.

"He talks about a Sister Lily sometimes, about how she's the most beautiful woman ever. Things like that."

Yuno shook his head, and the eye-rolling continued.

"He's such a child."

They had reached the end of the line, and Charmy looked up at him. She could see how his face was slightly flushed; it reminded her of the red tinge Vanessa's face typically had. She wanted to keep talking to him, but she wasn't sure he would welcome her following him.

"What do you mean?" She asked, hoping he would answer. She wanted to turn the conversation away from Asta, but she didn't quite know how. She feared he would clam up and walk away if she did. He gestured her to an empty table, where she took a seat with one empty chair between them. She didn't want to crowd him or make him feel uncomfortable. At least, according to what she told herself. Deep down, she knew she didn't want risk running him off.

"He's been asking Sister to marry him since she came to the church," Yuno said as he took a bite of one of the ripe red strawberries. "Oh, these are so good." His eyes slid closed as he savored the flavor. "But of course, since she's a woman of the cloth…" He took another bite.

"She's not allowed to get married." Charmy finished before diving into her own snacks as she waited on her special meal.

"Right. Why are strawberries so good?" He said taking another bite and wiping the bit of juice that escaped his lips from his chin. Charmy raised her eyebrows in wonder as she watched him. She had only met Yuno a handful of times, but he had always been so stoic and a poor conversationalist. Something seemed off somehow.

"You know what's really good with strawberries?" She asked, still struggling to place what was wrong with him. "Chocolate."

"Oh god, that sounds amazing." His eyes were suddenly serious. "Wait." He pulled out a handful of small wrapped chocolates from a pouch on his belt. Depositing them onto the table, he started to unwrap one. Charmy picked up one of the gold foil wrapped chocolates. It was about as long as her thumb and shaped like a tiny bottle. She had seen them before; she usually got some for Vanessa for her birthday. She looked at the chocolate in her hand and then back to Yuno's flushed cheeks. She knit her brow together and bit her lip to keep from laughing.

"Yuno, where did you get these?"

He had stuffed a whole strawberry into his mouth with one of the chocolates. He took a moment to chew before attempting to answer. He closed his eyes as the flavor filled his mouth.

"So good. Um, Klaus gave them to me. Or was it Mimosa? I can't remember."

"How many have you had?" Charmy could no longer keep the amusement from her voice.

"I dunno, about ten maybe?" He counted on his fingers as if thinking abstractly about it was too difficult. "Yeah, ten. I think."

"You do know these are liquor-filled chocolates, right?"

He looked at her like he didn't quite understand.

"You mean these things have alcohol in them?" He leaned close to her, almost too close.

Charmy nodded.

"I can't believe it. You're drunk off of liquor filled chocolates." She laughed before quickly clamping a hand over her mouth.

He sat upright, his feelings on the matter plainly written on his face.

"I am not." He insisted. His eyes were wide and filled with shock at the thought.

She couldn't help but grin and laugh. She heard other riotous laughter from a couple on the dance floor. Charmy looked over to the sound to see Mimosa and Klaus glancing in their direction. Both of them cackled as they swirled through the dancing crowd together.

"I think your team was playing a trick on you." She smiled sympathetically as he looked, mouth agape, at the laughing pair who kept throwing glances at him.

"Those jerks." He was genuinely shocked at being the butt of their joke.

"It's okay, Yuno. You're, uh, you're kind of fun this way. Actually, I don't think I've ever heard you say more than one or two sentences at a time."

He furrowed his brow as if he were trying to make sense of what she had said.

"Huh. I guess I don't talk that much." He shoved another bottle of chocolate and strawberry combo into his mouth. Charmy slid the few remaining wrapped candies toward her.

"I think you've had enough." She chuckled. "In fact, I think you're going to have quite the headache tomorrow."

Just then, the chef brought out a large tray filled with every tasty morsel imaginable. Charmy could feel her mouth watering from the smell. Yuno leaned toward the heaping plate of food.

"That smells really good."

She noticed him swaying slightly. She pushed the plate more toward him and handed him a fork.

"Come on, let's share. Your body with thank you later." She smiled as she watched him dig into the towering mountain of food.

"You don't think it was a little too mean, do you?" Mimosa giggled, glancing over her shoulder to where Yuno sat with one of Asta's teammates.

"Of course not. I'm your senior, both of yours, in fact, and this is a party. It's supposed to be fun." Klaus took his hand from her waist long enough to push his glasses up the bridge of his nose. Mimosa took the opportunity to spin around beneath his arm before landing with her hand back on his shoulder.

"Yuno does need to loosen up a bit. He's always so serious."

"Indeed. And in his case, he needed a little help."

"But are you sure we should have given him so many?"

"He didn't have to eat the entire package." Klaus pointed out. Mimosa giggled again as they whirled to the rhythm of the music among the crowd of dancers. As they circled away from the buffet table, Klaus spun her away from him and out of the circle of movement. She smacked into Noelle, pushing her into Asta, who grabbed her to keep her from falling.

"What do you think you're doing?" The silver-haired maiden huffed as she backed away and tried to regain her composure. Her face was scarlet as she scowled, embarrassed.

"Oh, Noelle, I'm so sorry. Are you alright?" Mimosa fussed over her cousin as she pulled Klaus from the dance floor.

"I'm fine, but this idiot can't figure out a simple dance." She brushed her hands over her gown, smoothing it

"I've just never been any good with songs and things." Asta rubbed the back of his head. "I told you I didn't know how."

"I know, but I assumed you would be able to get the basics through your thick skull." Noelle could feel her blood boiling. She took a couple of deep breaths to calm down, but nothing seemed to work. She knew the Captain had practically ordered her to teach her cohort, but she questioned if it was possible.

"Lady Noelle," Klaus offered his hand to her. "Might you honor me with a dance?"

She stared at his hand, palm up, delicate fingers for a man with clean and well-kept nails. She looked up his arm, clad in a creamy taupe coat until she met his eyes. A smile danced on his thin lips and his eyebrows were raised expectantly. She felt she stood there for an eternity of indecision. True, she had wanted to throw Asta through the window for the lack of progress he had made, but now, given the opportunity to pursue another, even if for just one dance, she found herself reluctant to leave. She glanced at Klaus' face, then to Asta and back to the offered hand. She placed her hand on his and was quickly whirled away onto the dance floor.

They moved easily to the music and she found herself having no trouble following his lead. The simplicity and grace of their movements soothed Noelle's ire, and she found herself enjoying the dance. She chided herself for her earlier anger toward Asta. She wondered if she had been too harsh on the poor boy. After all, he was a peasant who hadn't known what a ball was until a week ago.

"Do you like dancing, Lady Noelle?" Klaus asked, but Noelle was too occupied with her own thoughts to make sense of the question.

"Hmm?"

Klaus sighed before asking again.

"Oh, I, well, yes, I do, I guess. I've never had much opportunity to do so, besides the lessons my father reluctantly made me take. My brothers would never dance with me at the royal feasts, so I mostly grew up watching, wishing I was out there with them."

"Well, you are quite skilled for one who says they have little experience."

"Thank you." Noelle could feel herself blush. It had become a familiar feeling by now, though it usually only happened when she thought of Asta. She pulled her eyes from Klaus's and scanned the room. She didn't want to admit it, but she was looking for Asta, wondering where he had gone off or if he had gotten distracted by another girl or something. She thought she saw his head through the crowd, but he was so short, it was difficult to tell. He looked as if he were dancing with Mimosa. Noelle could not help the angry groan which escaped her throat.

"Are you alright?" Her attention snapped to the question.

"What? Yes, I'm fine." Rage boiled beneath the surface as she glanced over and saw for certain that Asta was indeed dancing with Mimosa. They were talking and laughing and enjoying themselves and each other.

"You seem distracted."

Noelle brought her attention to Klaus once more, meeting his eyes.

"I'm sorry. I should be more focused. My behavior has been, less than ideal."

Klaus's lip quirked upward in a sympathetic smile before he spun her around. He pulled her to him, spinning her so her back was to him and his arms were around her waist. Noelle's heart thumped loudly as the casual intimacy. But just as quickly as it started, he spun her again and they were face to face once more. The red in her cheeks was darker than she ever remembered it and burned twice as much. She watched his face, noting how his eyes darted around her body, never focusing on any one part for long. They kept flicking to her lips.

*Klaus is nice,* she thought, realizing he was a much better match for her than Asta. *But any match is better than Asta,* her mind countered. She sighed at the truth of the statement.

And then he kissed her.

And she froze.

He pulled her close to him, but she felt as stiff as a board-paralyzed by the contact.

"I, uh, I'm sorry." He dropped his hands from her and stepped back a half-step. "I'm not really sure what came over me. You're just so beautiful, Lady Noelle, and the music, the dancing… I don't know why I did that. Sorry." He pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose before running his fingers through his hair. "I shouldn't have done that without asking."

The shock of the kiss had frozen Noelle stiff. She took a moment to realize any sort of apology was being made. Slowly she came to her senses, but looked skeptically, uncomfortably at Klaus.

"Yes, you should have asked." She sighed and looked around the room once more. Asta was gone, and Mimosa with him. She looked back at Klaus, narrowed her eyes and stormed from the dance floor.

Asta watched as Klaus spun Noelle away into the crowd in a way he thought he would never be able to learn. He was trying so hard, but it was difficult for him to follow the steps and he had kept stepping on her feet, or bumping into other people. He chewed the inside of his lip as he glimpsed her silver hair through the throng on people. He then punched himself in the head and chuckled, wondering why he was so worried about Noelle. She was a lousy teacher and the attempt had only made her angry, he thought. A part of him still wanted to learn, he admitted to himself, as he realized it would be but one more tool in his quest to woo Sister Lily.

"Um, Asta?" A delicate voice sounded from over he shoulder. He had forgotten Mimosa had been left behind as well. She wrung her hands and shifted her weight from one foot to the other. Her head was tilted so it looked like she was looking up at him, even though he knew very well she was taller.

"Oh, hey, Mimosa."

"Um, I can try to teach you to dance, I mean, if you still want to learn." Her hands were clasped together in front of her body as she swayed from side to side. Her arms pressed her breasts together as she leaned toward him slightly.

"Yeah, sure, that would be great," Asta said oblivious to her coy behavior. "You seem to have more patience than Noelle does."

Mimosa smiled as she took his hands in hers and stepped closer to him. She placed both of his hands on her hips. Tonight would be the perfect night, she thought as she laid her hands on his chest before sliding them up to and over his shoulders.

"Um, aren't I supposed to hold your hand or something?" Asta's voice quivered a bit as he tried to step back slightly.

"You need to be able to feel the rhythm first, Asta, or there's no point in even trying the more advanced stuff. " She closed the distance again, slight though it was. She moved as close as she could to him. Surely, he can tell there's something between us, she thought as her ample breasts brushed against him. He blushed at the touch but followed her lead as she swayed to the music.

She moved with him, their bodies swaying in sync.

"You're a pretty good dancer, Mimosa."

She blushed.

"Thanks. Noelle's much better than I am, but maybe she was too good to teach you. I mean, we both had to learn as kids. But I could never keep up with her."

"Well, whatever it is, I think you're a good dancer and a good teacher." Asta smiled. at her.

Mimosa blushed and giggled. They swayed in silence for a moment. Asta looked around the room trying to find someone, anyone to interrupt the dance. The way Mimosa was looking at him, how closely she was pressing against him… something about her tonight had him on edge.

"Say, Asta. Do you want to go out on the balcony?" When he looked at her eyes, he wondered why he had ever questioned her. Her eyes were as wide and innocent as he had remembered. He shook his head to force the uneasy feeling from his mind.

"Sure" he smiled. As much as he tried, though he could not quite shake the suspicion he felt as he touched her ki. She grabbed his arm and pulled him to the door.

Noelle blood boiled as she sat at the table next to Grey. She could not believe the gall of him. How did he ever think it was alright for him to kiss her like that. She made a sound of disgust as she thought about it.

"Are you alright, Noelle? " Grey's voice trembled from beneath the veil covering her lower face.

"Ugh, no. I'm not. How could he just do that?"

"Who did what?" Grey asked. Noelle looked at their wide blue eyes-still fear-filled as they tended to be when not in another's form, but now they were also intent, focused, and full of concern. Noelle took a deep breath to still her anger.

"Klaus, he, uh, he kissed me while we were dancing." Noelle blushed, realizing how silly it was for her to be so angry, but the thought only made her angrier over his inability to ask permission before doing so.

"Which one is Klaus?" Grey asked, standing up behind the table to better see over the crowd. "Ugh, this dress is so weirdly restrictive."

"He's over there, white-ish, grayish hair, glasses, Golden Dawn."

"Him?" Grey pointed to a young man on the edge of the crowd. "Heading over to where Charmy is?"

"Yeah."

"He's kind of cute, in a stuck up sort of way."

Noelle rolled her eyes.

"Stuck up sort of way is right."

"Was it a good kiss?" They asked as they sat back down.

"What? I don't know. I was just so shocked by it all, I didn't really have time to analyze it. All I could process was that it was happening."

"And that it wasn't Asta."

"What are you talking about?" Noelle could feel her cheeks flush with a red heat.

"Don't pretend it's not true. I've seen how you look at him."

"And what exactly have you seen, Grey?" Noelle could see Gray's blue eyes dancing and imagined the smile on their face, though she could not see it.

"Oh, nothing." The usually too embarrassed to speak teammate giggled at Noelle's rolling eyes.

Noelle sighed as she tried to convince herself of her disinterest in Asta, but looking around the dancefloor, she grew worried when she still did not see him. At first, she felt a flush of jealousy over the idea of another girl spending time with him-the thought it might be Mimosa especially raised her hackles. But as she looked around she noticed something strange.

"Hey, Gray? Where is everyone?" She tried to take an accounting of the members of the squad. Luck and Magna were sitting on the other side of the table, their heads bowed together in some silent communion. As she looked at them longer, she thought she saw Magna brush the back of Luck's hand. The motion was absent-minded, yet constant, almost like it was unintentional, or perhaps, unrealized.

"Um, well Gauche is talking with his sister." The tone in Gray's voice was more annoyed than anything Noelle had ever heard come out of their mouth. "Charmy is over there by the food."

"Of course she is," Noelle said as she glanced over to the buffet table where Charmy was sharing her meal with Asta's friend Yuno. "But where's Vanessa? Or the Captain?"

"They both left a little while ago."

Noelle's eyes widened. She knew Vanessa had a bit of a soft spot for the Captain, but she had never picked up on how he might feel. Of course, she was usually so preoccupied with her own thoughts, she could have missed something somewhere. She never imagined they might go off together.

"Vanessa hasn't been here a while, actually. Last I saw she was chatting up one of your brothers."

"What?"

"Yeah. He seemed really into it."

Noelle blanched.

"Did you see which one?"

"Not the captain?" Gray shrugged. "The younger one, with the cruel smile."

Noelle felt her stomach flip with the thought of her brother Solid doing anything to Vanessa. The older woman might be a bit promiscuous, Noelle thought, but she had been more like a sister to her than her own family, as had been the case with all of the Black Bulls. She hated to think of any of them being hurt by proxy because her blood relations were assholes.

"Yami disappeared with the Blue Rose Captain shortly after they started dancing. They were amazing to watch and completely oblivious to anything else going on around them."

Noelle's earlier disgust turned once more to curiosity.

"The Blue Rose captain? I thought she hated men."

"Yeah? Well, she seemed strangely into Yami. He kissed her in fact and she didn't kill him."

"Huh." The thought of the Captain having any sort of life outside of his day to day routine sat oddly on Noelle's mind. She glanced back to Luck and Magna, who now seemed to be holding hands in their own little world, and wondered just how self-centered she had been to not see the others as full, independent people with their own thoughts and feelings.

Vanessa erupted into the room once more as Noelle was contemplating how little she had really gotten to know the people who had taken her in and made her their family. The witch commanded the room as she swept through the crowd on the prowl, confidence billowing around her like a cloak. She breezed through the crowd and joined Gray and Noelle at the table.'

"Well, Ladies," She nodded to Luck and Magna, who paid her no mind. "and Gray, how are you doing this fine night?" She grinned like a cat who had just eaten a canary as she sat at the table. "Enjoying yourselves?"

"Where have you been?" Gray asked with upraised eyebrows.

"Oh, just having a little fun." She looked around the room. "Where's the Captain?" Her lips turned to a pout.

"He's off having his own fun, apparently," Gray said.

Noelle propped her chin on her fist as she leaned on the table.

"What?" Vanessa sighed and seemed to sag a bit at the news, crestfallen. The look lasted only a moment before she put the brilliant, seductive smile back on her lips. "Why aren't you with Asta?" She winked at Noelle.

"Vanessa, stop it." Gray shook her head in warning.'

"If you must know," Noelle puffed herself up. "He is off somewhere with Mimosa. I tried to teach the idiot how to dance, but he's surprisingly uncoordinated. She took over and, well, now I can't see them."

"Uh-oh." Vanessa sat back as worry sprouted in her expression.

"What do you mean, 'Uh-oh'?" Between the look on Vanessa's face and the tone of her voice, the concern Noelle had tried to push aside once again sprang to the surface.

"Well, I know what I did when I disappeared... and I can only imagine what the Captain is off doing..."

Noelle could feel herself boiling as even her ears grew hot.

"And what did you do with my brother?"

A Cheshire grin spread on Vanessa's face.

"Oh, stuff and things. I'm sure you'll hear about it eventually."

Noelle looked at Gray feeling the disgust rising within her once more.

"Do I want to know?" Noelle turned slightly green as Gray shook their head.

"Excuse me." Noelle stood and disappeared to the fresh air of the balcony as quickly as she could. She leaned heavily on the railing as a cool night breeze washed over her. She looked up and down the torch-lit space to see people paired off, or occasionally in a trio or more, talking quietly, intimately. Heads together, gentle touches between would-be lovers, assaulted her at every turn.

Did Vanessa really give herself over to Solid's charms? Noelle thought, though she also wondered exactly what kinds of charms her sadistic older brother would have.

No, she thought. more likely Vanessa worked her magic on him, but why?

The thought still made her ill, but another cool breeze calmed her. She took a deep breath and gripped the railing of the balcony to keep her hands from shaking. She looked around again at the couples surrounding her, wondering if Asta had indeed gone off with Mimosa to do... stuff and things, as Vanessa had put it. She felt hot, angry tears on her cheeks at the thought of Asta with her.

Noelle knew she had never been forthright with her feelings to him or anyone else, though apparently, she had not been as covert with them as she had thought. But now, she felt like she had missed her chance.

"It's nice out here, isn't it?" A familiar voice said next to her. She quickly wiped the tears from her eyes and turned to the sound. Finral's profile was illuminated by the flicker of flames as he too stared out into the darkness beyond the railing.

"Yeah." Her voice sounded hollow in her ears. He nodded his head before they watched the darkness in silence for a moment. "I would have thought you would be inside, chatting up the single ladies," Noelle said after a long silence.

He smiled a mirthless smile but didn't answer.


	6. Chapter 6

Finral had been crying, Noelle was sure of it when she looked up at him. The salty tracks were subtle on his cheeks, and the redness in his eyes was barely noticeable in the darkness, but she could see. And she was surprised to see him so distraught. When it came to social interactions, Finral had always seemed to have the situation in hand. He might be a coward in most ways, Noelle thought, but he had all the confidence in the world when it came to approaching women.

He also had the worst luck in the world.

"What brings you out here, Little Princess?" He leaned on the balcony railing as he tried to smile at her. Noelle shook her head at the moniker. She hated it, but unlike when her siblings had used similar terms for her, there was no malice or mockery in it. Finral had always made her feel welcome and loved, even if he had hit on her every so often.

"I just needed some air."

Finral nodded, knowing all too well what the phrase really meant.

"I guess Asta is off with that friend of his?"

Noelle blushed and looked away. Was she that obvious? Or was Finral just that observant? She tried to tell herself she hadn't run away because of Asta, but the more she fought the idea, the more Finral's expression told her to be honest with herself.

"No, he went off with Mimosa."

"Mimosa?"

"My cousin. She was with the Golden Dawn team we met up with in the dungeon. Asta, being Asta, saves her, and now she thinks she's in love with him."

Finral chuckled and shook his head. He gave her a sardonic smile.

"Sounds like Asta." He sighed. "Why is it guys like him, and Yami too, have it so easy and they don't even seem to care. Or even notice. But guys like me..." He shook his head, frowning. " Sorry, we were talking about you."

"Actually, we were talking about Asta."

"Right."

"Anyway, he went off with Mimosa, and Vanessa thinks they might be..."

Finral put his hands on Noelle's shoulders and turned her to face him. He looked her square in the eye and his expression was far more serious than she had ever seen him.

"Don't listen to Vanessa, alright? Not everyone is as depraved as she is. I can't imagine Asta doing anything willingly to jeopardize his one-sided relationship with that sister of his. Not that she would care."

Noelle chuckled at the mention of the infamous Sister Lily.

"He is ridiculously hung up on her, isn't he?" Noelle smiled for the first real time that night.

Finral nodded and smiled as well. They shared a laugh, doing impersonations of Asta or recalling instances where his obsession with the sister had made everyone groan.

"So, Noelle, do you want to dance?" He asked with a smile. Noelle was feeling better. She didn't really want to dance now, but she felt she owed him that at least for making her smile again.

"Sure, but just one dance." He took her hand and led her back into the ball with a grin.

Some time later, Noelle stared at the dancers or glanced around the table where her comrades sat enjoying the party, having a horrible time. She never realized how much she wanted to have Asta be the one she spent the dance with until he was gone. Oh, it crossed her mind when she had approached the captain with the idea, but now Mimosa had stolen him away and she sat there frowning. Vanessa wasn't much help as she was progressively becoming more and more drunk. Charmy was stationed much closer to the food-as expected, as she fussed over an obviously drunk Golden Dawn member. For all Charmy's gluttony, Noelle thought, she was a good caretaker. Between the two older women, Noelle had found something akin to a cross between a mom and a big sister, maybe with a little older friend thrown in. She wasn't sure, though, having grown up with none of them what having some one, or several someones, fill those roles might be about.

Noelle leaned on the table, her cheek resting against her fist, and sighed.

"What's wrong, Sweetie?" Vanessa leaned over, her words slurred. She seemed to have forgotten about what she had told Noelle earlier. But then, Vanessa's memory isn't the best, Noelle thought. She wanted to tell her what was going on in her mind, but Noelle wasn't too sure herself. She was worried about what Asta was doing with Mimosa, and the worry made her feel guilty.

"Just bored." Noelle sat back and looked up at the ceiling. "I don't know. I guess I thought I would have more fun at this than I am."

Vanessa poured a glass half-full of wine and slid it over to Noelle.

"Drink with me." Vanessa smiled a lazy half-smile. Noelle stared at the golden liquid for a moment, looked at the older woman, and then back to the goblet. She shrugged, picked up the glass and sipped on the liquid.

A murmur went through the room, drawing both of their attentions.

As they looked over, they saw Yami walk into the room again. Though walk seemed the wrong word to Noelle. More like, he swaggered through the door. He had a tall blond woman under his arm, but from the distance, Noelle couldn't make out who it was. Vanessa, however, stiffened and excused herself. Noelle had to keep herself from chuckling as Vanessa fought with the chairs as she tried to stand and escape the room.

Yami couldn't help the grin on his face as he walked back into the ball with Charlotte beside him. He could feel the eyes of everyone on them, as well as her racing pulse and nervous trembling beneath his arm. He hadn't really wanted to come back to the ball, but she had convinced him with the promise of further exploration later. Well, that and one other condition-that she not hide. He could feel her turning toward him, trying to bury her face against him, but he kept propelling her forward into and through the crowd.

"No hiding remember?" He said in a husky whisper. Her cheeks were scarlet as she fought against her instinct. "Surpass your limits, Charlotte."

"Shut up." Her voice trembled as she nudged him playfully. Despite everything, she still smiled at him. He pulled her to him and kissed her. He thought she might fight him for making such a blatant show, but she melted against him, eager still for his touch. Her hands around his neck, playing with his hair, made him lose track of when and where he was. His hands on her narrow waist, spurred her on to deepen the contact. He was not entirely sure how long they stood there, kissing in front of everyone without a care in the world, but he refused to open his eyes for a moment when she came to her senses and pulled away from him. She didn't struggle, or fight, like she was ashamed, like he had feared she would when her rational mind took control once more. Instead, she lay her head against his shoulder.

"I'm so embarrassed." She whispered as she buried her face against his neck. He smiled as he rubbed her back. She took a deep breath before straightening and opening her eyes. She could do nothing for the redness in her cheeks, but he was also sort of happy she couldn't. It made how she felt incredibly obvious, and after their, uh, discussion, he was doing all he could to encourage her to be honest with herself and everyone else.

Movement off to the side drew his attention and Yami felt a wicked grin spread over his face. It was a toothy grin, the kind which would have made him drop his cigarette had he had one between his lips. Yami chuckled as he steered Charlotte toward one of their fellow captains.

"What are you doing?" She asked as she saw Yami's target was none other than the captain of the Silver Eagles.

"I'm gonna tell him." In their personal quest for some, uh, quiet space to... talk, Yami and Charlotte had stumbled upon an interesting sight involving Solid Silva.

"Don't you dare." Charlotte had been mortified when they opened the door to see a completely naked Solid strung up, practically floating on air, and left abandoned. The young man was weeping and begged for help. Yami and Charlotte looked at him for a moment before Yami closed the door. Yami had mentioned something about Vanessa's handiwork before he pulled her into another-this time empty-room.

"Oh, no, I'm gonna tell him." Yami chuckled. "I live for this shit."

Charlotte should have known better than to try and stop him. Truthfully, she also wanted to see Nozel's reaction.

"Hey, Mister Ball-o-Pride."

"What do you want, foreigner?" Nozel said as flatly as ever. His sister, Nebra, peeked around him from where she sat at the table, listening in on the conversation.

Yami clucked his tongue at the name.

Charlotte wondered if the pair would ever see eye to eye, or if they were actually more tolerating of each other than they let on. After all, Yami was in charge of Nozel's youngest sibling. And if Charlotte knew anything about Nozel, he cared about how his siblings behavior reflected on his family's name. She knew he might have no love for the youngest Silva, but he would not want her besmirching the family name. Which was exactly the reason she thought it a horrible idea to tell Nozel what they saw. It would be like watching a fireball go off in slow-motion. Charlotte was both terrified and fascinated by the idea.

"Are you missing something?" Yami grinned, opting to get straight to the point.

Nozel narrowed his eyes at Yami before flicking them to Charlotte. His gaze lingered at her unkempt hair and Yami's robe, jacket... thing over her shoulders.

"I'm not sure what you mean, but Lady Charlotte, you must rethink the company you keep."

"Where's your brother?" Yami hinted.

Nozel raised an eyebrow in confusion at the question.

Yami's grin broadened as Nozel started a frantic scan of the room before steering Charlotte away from the panicked royal. As they left, Charlotte could hear Nozel order his sister to search the palace for their wayward sibling.

"You're awful." Charlotte slipped her arm around Yami's waist and laid her head on his shoulder.

"And you're beautiful." He kissed the top of her head with a small contented smile. "Besides, I wager he was left there to be found."

Charlotte shook her head in exasperation before slipping from under his arm and stepping in front of him. They were on the edge of the dancefloor and the music seemed to beg for them to join in the chaos of movement. She could see the same pull in Yami's eyes. She didn't want to leave him, not yet; she wanted to take his hand and swirl away into the crowd and stay in their own world for a while longer. But she needed to check on things with her own squad. As much as the party was a safe event, as much as it was designed for them all to have fun, she could not help but feel a responsibility to make sure everyone was having as much fun as they could.

"I would love to dance with you." She answered his unspoken question.

"But..." He took her hand and brought it to his lips, brushing her knuckles against them.

"But I need to check on my kids."

He hung his head with a sigh.

"I should probably do the same. Besides, I owe Julius a drink." He drew her arms outward and pulled her against him, almost sinfully close and definitely too close by society's standards. He kissed her deeply and when he disappeared into the crowd, she was left swaying on her feet.

Charlotte stared after him for a moment until a voice behind her made her jump.

"All my hard work, gone." Mira said as she picked up one of the loose curls now hanging to Charlotte's shoulder. When Charlotte turned to her, Mira was fake pouting, but Charlotte could see the excitement behind her eyes. Charlotte rolled her eyes as she found her way to the table set aside for her squad. Mira took the seat next to her.

"I can put it back up if you want." Mira said, her fingers already dragging through the blond cascade. She started to twist the tresses back into the bun she had started the night with and stopped suddenly. She froze with Charlotte's hair still wrapped around her fingers.

"Don't you dare." Charlotte's voice was a breathy panicked whisper.

"Oh." Mira let the hair fall, but pushed it to one of Charlotte's shoulders. She touched a small purple bruise peeking out of the overcoat Charlotte now wore. "Looks like someone got a little frisky."

Charlotte flushed crimson, which made a garish contrast with the bruise. She pulled her hair to cover her neck back up.

"Please tell me you have more of those. Preferably in places that are typically more covered?" Mira whispered in excitement. "Does he have any? I need details." Mira's eyes gleamed with mischief.

Charlotte's only response was a deeper reddening of her cheeks and a grin she couldn't stop.

Vanessa could not stand it. She couldn't bear to see him with her, to watch him hold her, kiss her so casually, like they had been a couple for, well, ever. The room was suddenly too warm, too stuffy. She watched him say something to one of the other captains. It was then she noticed the woman was wearing his overcoat. She didn't know what it was called, even though he had told her. But that other woman wearing it set her blood boiling. She stood up and nearly fell flat on her ass as she tried to disentangle herself from the chair. Noelle snorted, but she didn't care who saw. She needed to get out.

She was nearly to the door leading to the balcony when someone caught her wrist. The touch wasn't forceful and it didn't try to grab her and pull her back in. It was just enough to have her check herself a moment. When she turned to the owner of the hand which had caught her, she found Finral's eyes. She saw a rare confidence in them.

"Dance with me?" He asked, his eyes firmly locked with hers for a moment. The moment was fleeting as he looked away. "I mean, if you want, of course. I know I'm not your first choice, but..." He rubbed the back of his head with his free hand. He tried to smile, but could not seem to manage it.

Vanessa's anger evaporated, at least a little. She glanced out at the dance floor, but could not find Yami anywhere on it. She looked around the room and eventually found him making his way to the dais where the Wizard King sat observing the evening's proceedings. She took a deep breath and tried to steady herself. She wondered how much she would remember of this in the morning. Not much, she hoped, but she feared she would remember it all.

"Sure, Finral. It's supposed to be a party right?" She returned his smile, but like his, it masked the turmoil she felt. She let him lead her to the dancefloor. He seemed hesitant as he put his hand on her waist, but quickly they were moving to the music. She was surprised to find him a skilled dancer. As they spun and dipped, twirled and stepped in time with the music, Vanessa felt herself relax a bit. Who needed Yami? She told herself. He had obviously made his decision and she certainly was not going to let herself get hung up on a guy who clearly did not want her. As she looked into Finral's eyes, she felt the smile on her face become more and more real.

"You know, there are a ton of guys who would love to dance with you, Vanessa."

"Are you one of them?"

"I am enjoying myself. And I have to admit, after seeing you tonight, not sharing a dance with you was one thing I would have regretted. So thank you."

She noticed he had to look up slightly to meet her eyes, but he did not seemed bothered by it in the least. She chuckled.

"How have your other conquests been going?" She winked at him which made him roll his eyes and groan.

"Not so well."

"Shot down, huh?"

"At every turn."

Vanessa felt her bottom lip pout outward in sympathy for his miserable expression.

"Don't worry, Finral, Big Sister is always here for you." She kissed him on the cheek, which made his breath catch.

"Don't' do that."

"Do what?"

"Tease me."

"If you insist." Vanessa gave him a wicked grin before kissing him on the mouth. She could feel him slipping deeper into the kiss, wanting so desperately a connection. She draped her arms over his shoulders, holding him close. When he pulled away from her, she was surprised.

"Dammit, Vanessa. Don't do that."

She giggled and tapped her index finger on the tip of his nose.

"Sorry." She resumed the proper form for the dance, but she leaned in to whisper to him. "But you looked like you needed it."

"Just... geez, just ask first next time?"

"So?"

"What?"

"Was it good?"

"Yeah." Finral blushed as Vanessa giggled again and they entered the swirl of dancers once more.

"I thought you had forgotten about me." Julius grinned as Yami joined him on the dais. "You certainly seemed occupied earlier."

Julius chuckled as a huge grin spread across his protege's face. He watched memories play out on Yami's face.

"You look like the cat who ate the canary, Yami."

"Those are the yellow birds right?"

Julius nodded and then watched as Yami's eyes sought out a certain blond haired woman across the room.

"Sounds about right." Yami forced his gaze from her and back to the man who had changed his life. Julius looked at him and shook his head.

"I didn't need to know that." He looked out over the crowd once more. "So did you tell her?"

"Tell her what?"

"How you feel, how you've felt."

"Fuck no. We just messed around a little is all."

"The way you two walked back in here you looked way more like a couple than two people who had just been messing around."

Yami grunted as he reached for a piece of bread.

"We haven't really talked about it. But, I dunno, maybe. I guess I wouldn't mind seeing how things played out. I definitely wouldn't mind seeing her again."

Julius watched his young friend as Yami continued to glance at the woman who had long ago stolen his heart. Julius smiled in his knowing. He knew a great many things, could see a great many futures built on choices of the past. It was his gift, and his curse. And he knew what was coming for him, for all of them. And he knew the best possible outcomes all shared a couple of things in common: Asta and the anti-magic swords, his death at the hands of one of his own (he wasn't too keen on knowing that, but knowing it also allowed him time to find peace with it), and a deep love between those two. He didn't know why Yami and Charlotte being together was so important, but he knew the day he met Yami on the beach that the young man had a destiny to fulfill, and a role to play. Even if Yami hated the idea of destiny and fate.

But Julius had been careful and kept his secrets to himself. Even now, as the time drew ever closer, Julius still had hope things would work out for the best.

Of course, fate would not stop him from teasing his love-struck junior. And as much as Yami might try to deny it, Julius could tell he was in love.

"So, when's the wedding? I expect an invitation."

Yami paused midway to taking a drink and Julius was awarded with the rare sight of his protege blushing.

"Shut up, Julius."

The Wizard King simply laughed into his own cup.

The music slowed down and the frantic dances gave way to romantic swaying. Noelle found herself seated at the table again, bored. Vanessa and Finral were dancing, which made her smile. Charmy was still at the buffet table, though her friend had passed out. Magna and Luck were still talking in low tones too quietly for her to hear. She wasn't sure she wanted to know what they were talking about anyway. And Gray and Gauche were sitting against the wall together, both watching the dancefloor, but neither making a move towards it.

Noelle was starting to think it was a bad idea to come when Asta appeared next to her. She felt her heart race at his mere presence, and it practically stopped when he took her hand. She could feel it shaking as he sat down next to her.

"Asta, what?" She started to protest his forwardness, but when she saw his face, her mock anger turned to worry. "What's wrong?

"I..." He wrinkled his eyebrows together, but the expression did little to hid the haunted look in his eyes. "I dunno." He was uncharacteristically quiet. Noelle knew something was wrong. Somehow, Asta had been, well, broken was the only word she could think of to describe his current state.

She had never seen him cry before, or look anything remotely like how he looked at that moment. She had seen him happy, determined, focused. He always seemed to channel those feelings and to pass them on to others. She had never thought to see the look of devastation and ruin that was now on his face.

"Where've you been? I was hoping to try teaching you to dance again." She felt his entire body stiffen at the suggestion. She was going to figure out what was wrong.

"Mimosa was teaching me." His voice was a whisper for him-which was to say, normal speaking tone for anyone else. "But then she... She did things, Noelle. Things I wasn't ready for."

When Mimosa had admitted her infatuation with Asta, Noelle had never thought her meek cousin would actually act on those feelings, but slowly the puzzle started to take shape. Asta, for his part, was too hung up on his obsession with the nun who raised him to give anyone else the time of day. He barely noticed the existence of other women, which had frustrated Noelle a great deal of the last few months. But Noelle would never force Asta to do anything against his will. She cared about him too much, even if she wanted him to see her in the way she saw him.

She should have known better about other women though after that hussy Rebecca kissed him. She was surprised to know her cousin was just as forward as the common girl. The behavior was unbecoming of someone of royal blood. There were rules and procedures to follow, or so she had been taught. Though thinking about it now, Noelle wondered if she had been taught merely out of a need to keep her isolated. She wouldn't put such a thing past her brother.

She took her hand out of Asta's and pulled him to her in a hug. He stiffened at the touch but then relaxed as Noelle just held him.

"I mean on one hand it was, I guess it felt good. I never thought of having anyone's mouth there. But the way she touched me, I couldn't help how my body reacted."

Noelle could hear the panic in his voice, and the shame. She stroked her fingers through his hair and murmured to him in dulcet tones, telling him that everything will be alright.

But her eyes searched for her cousin on the dancefloor. The girl would be lucky to leave the event in one piece, Noelle thought.

Asta's trembling slowly subsided as she held him and stroked his hair.

"That feels good." he mumbled, his eyes pressed into her shoulder. Noelle could feel warm tears leaking from them onto her skin. "Reminds me of how Sister Lily used to sit with me when I was hurt. Or with Yuno when he was sick."

Noelle frowned at the comparison. True, she wasn't quite ready to admit her feelings for Asta just yet; she even had trouble recognizing them herself sometimes. But something about reminding him of the nun he was infatuated with did not quite sit right with her. She stiffened and her breath caught when his arms snaked around her waist. She wondered if he knew how she felt, if his new ki reading ability made everything she tried to hide blatantly visible. She let out a deep breath to clear her head. Of course not, she thought, he's not Stupidsta for nothing.

But she found herself smiling at the idea that she didn't have to come out and tell him for him to know.

And maybe, she thought, being compared to Sister Lily wasn't a bad thing.

He lifted his head from her shoulder and met her with his confident, some might say cocky, smile. She could see a glistening sheen on his green eyes, but otherwise, the Asta she knew and loved was back.

"Thanks Noelle. If you still want to dance, I think I'd like to try again."

Noelle met his smile and held her hand out. He placed his hand in hers and they walked together to the dancefloor. As she looked into his eyes and started to walk him through the steps of the dance, she realized she was ready to be patient with him.

Let Mimosa and Rebecca steal his affection or force his hand, she thought, but I'll be the one he turns to by choice, when he wakes up and realizes Sister Lily is not an option.

Nozel Silva was furious.

What had meant to be a simple, enjoyable night had turned into a catastrophe.

And it all started with the Black Bulls showing up.

He had caught the look the Black Bulls witch had given his brother, and he knew Solid was far too weak to resist her charms. His brother might be a sadistic bastard who liked to play with people, but he was also far too easily caught up in his games to realize when he had been outmatched.

And the witch had clearly outmatched him from the first glance. She had known what she was doing and had played his idiot brother like the fool he was.

Nozel was grateful Nebra had a good head on her shoulders, though he thought his sister a little too lax in her personality for any sort of command. Still, should something happen to him, Nozel thought Nebra would make a better replacement than Solid should the need arise.

And of course, Yami of all people had to bring his missing brother to his attention. Nozel knew the foreigner would not taunt him with no reason-thought sometimes it seemed even the smallest possible reason was enough. And for him to being Charlotte into it as well? Nozel closed his eyes and took a deep breath in an effort to maintain his air of calm.

He might be boiling beneath the surface, but he would not give anyone the satisfaction of seeing him crack.

"Nebra, go find your brother. He's been gone too long." Nozel scanned the room and saw the Black Bulls witch on the dance floor with someone else. He pressed his lips into a thin line. He turned to her as she started to protest.

"Brother, it's a party. I'm sure he's just off having fun somewhere." Nebra said before gasping at the intensity of Nozel's eyes.

"Nebra, go. Now." The seriousness of the situation must have been evident in his voice because Nebra dropped all argument immediately and scurried out of the room. Nozel drummed his fingers on the table, anxious for his wayward younger sibling to be returned to him. He would reprimand Solid later, but now he had to be certain the young idiot had done nothing to besmirch the House of Silva.

"I swear, sometimes he is as bad as Noelle."


End file.
